The Case Is Over, But I'm Not Okay: Breaking the Silence on Litigation Stress in Medicine #StopTheStigmaEM
Facing litigation after a challenging case can leave a lasting emotional and psychological impact on physicians. The stress of legal proceedings often compounds the trauma of the clinical event itself, leading to anxiety, self-doubt, isolation, and diminished professional confidence. For physicians in academic emergency medicine, these experiences can be especially difficult to navigate in an environment that values decisiveness, resilience, and constant performance.
This #StopTheStigmaEM conversation will bring together leaders and learners who have experienced or supported colleagues through litigation stress to normalize these reactions, share strategies for recovery, and address the culture of silence that often surrounds these events. Through open dialogue and reflection, participants will learn to identify the signs of litigation-related distress, communicate effectively with support networks, and develop a personal recovery plan that fosters both professional growth and psychological well-being.
By the end of this webinar, engaged participants will be able to:
- Identify the common emotional and behavioral responses physicians may experience after a challenging clinical case and throughout the litigation process.
- Analyze the impact of litigation stress on mental health, clinical performance, and professional relationships.
- Develop a personalized strategy for recovery by integrating proven coping techniques and peer-supported resources.
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Al'ai Alvarez, MD
Stanford Emergency Medicine
Al'ai Alvarez, MD (@alvarezzzy) is a national leader and educator on wellness, diversity, equity, and Inclusion. He is a clinical associate professor of Emergency Medicine (EM) and Well-Being Director at Stanford Emergency Medicine. He co-leads the Human Potential Team and serves as the Stanford EM Physician Wellness Fellowship Director. He is the Chair of the Stanford WellMD's Physician Wellness Forum and Director of the Physician Resource Network (PRN) Support Program. His work focuses on humanizing physician roles as individuals and teams by harnessing the individual human potential in the context of high-performance teams. This includes optimizing the interconnectedness between Process Improvement (Quality and Clinical Operations), Recruitment (Diversity and Representation), and Well-being (Inclusion and Belonging). He is one of the 2021-2022 Faculty Fellows at the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign.
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Katren Tyler, MD
Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine
University of California Davis
Katren Tyler, MD, is a clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of California Davis. Dr. Tyler also acts as the Medical Director of Physician Well-being, the Chair of Medical Staff Wellbeing, and the Vice Chair of Geriatric Emergency Medicine and Wellness in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis.
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Mako Gedi, MS3
Medical Student
Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
Mako Gedi, MS3, is a medical student at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine. -
Gita Pensa, MD
Adjunct Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine
Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University
Gita Pensa, MD, is an emergency physician, educator, and nationally recognized advocate for physician well-being in the aftermath of litigation and adverse events. Drawing from her personal experience as a physician defendant in a high-profile, multi-year malpractice case, Dr. Pensa has become a leading voice in helping clinicians navigate the emotional, cognitive, and professional impact of litigation. She serves as Adjunct Associate Professor of emergency medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and is known for her work as host and editor of AEM Early Access and as a contributor to Emergency Medicine Reviews and Perspectives (EM:RAP). Through coaching, education, and her groundbreaking podcast "Doctors and Litigation: The L Word," Dr. Pensa empowers physicians to recover, build resilience, and reclaim fulfillment after one of the most isolating experiences in medicine. -
Marla C. Doehring, MD
Associate Professor, Clinical Emergency Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Marla Doehring, MD, is an associate professor of clinical emergency medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. She received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at Indiana University and works as a faculty physician and clinical educator in the emergency department at Eskenazi Hospital which is a Level 1 Trauma Center and the safety net hospital serving Indianapolis, Indiana. She has been honored with the statewide Indiana University Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award. Her interests include emergency medicine education, physician wellness and workplace violence.